


Coming to the Tree

by Roguenamedevyn



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Comfort, F/M, Major character death - Freeform, blood mention, someone hug these kids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-27
Updated: 2016-07-27
Packaged: 2018-07-27 01:10:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7597528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Roguenamedevyn/pseuds/Roguenamedevyn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They've returned from the Fey Wild with their latest Vestige. But was it worth it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coming to the Tree

**Author's Note:**

> *sigh*  
> This was originally one of the works I was going to add to the Rare Pair week but due to numerous things, I wasn't able to. So, here we go. There is a major character death and mentions of blood, heads up. Enjoy and please feel free to leave feedback!
> 
> Also, title was inspired by "The Hanging Tree" by James Newton Howard ft Jennifer Lawrence. It's also on Keyleth's playlist.

It had been two weeks since their return from the Fey Wild. Vex roamed the wing where her once jovial companions resided, the only sound was the soft tap of her boots on the cold stones of the floor. Her traveled worn robe billowed around her ankles as she increased her strides. They successfully retrieved the vestige. The bow proved its power. But at what cost?

 

  _When Fenthras had been retrieved, all hell broke loose as demons and elementals began to bleed from the tree itself. Arrows flying and gunshots rang true, filling the air with the scent of black powder. The plan was simple, allow Keyleth enough time to heal the tree and end the disease it would spread. While the druid worked, Vox Machina would defend._  
_“This one’s for Keyleth!”_  
_Vax’s battle cry rang true above the noise of combat. Percy ducked to reload Bad News and Vex hovered above his crouched form, calling forth her own hail of arrows that knocked several opponents prone. Trinket lunged forth and his maw wrapped around the throat of an elemental, a satisfactory crunch signaling the crushing of the windpipe. Grog’s ax dug deep into the demon next to him, a roar ripping from his throat and dark blood spattering himself and the ground._  
_“For our Princess!”_   _These words were familiar and the cold fingers of dread curled around Vex’s heart as her smile dropped. No…_

 

 Vex stopped in front of her brother’s vacant room and rested a heavy hand and her forehead on the splintered door. Vax had vanished three days after their return, quick to embrace his grief in his own fashion. A rough letter merely stated his plans for recuperating. Those plans included serving the Raven Queen. A deep sigh,  
“He probably thought he could barter with his Queen.”

 

  _Grasping Percy’s arm tightly, she searched the field for her friend. Her eyes flew to the tree and Keyleth’s bright hair caught her attention. Vex released Percy as she raced towards the massive tree, her feet beating a cruel cadence on the dusted ground. She threw a command behind to Trinket,_  
_“Protect Percy!”_  
_“Wait, Vex!”_  
_As she approached the tree, vines whipped past her, searching for purchase of some kind. For a moment, she lost sight of Keyleth. There was a surge of bright light and Vex looked up. The vines that shot past her a moment ago, was wrapped around Keyleth’s torso and arms. A nauseating smell of burning flesh and acid greeted Vex as she noticed irritated red welts show up on Keyleth’s skin where the vines made contact. The bright light that Vex saw encased Keyleth’s form._  
_“No, Keyleth!”_  
_Vex’s hand reached towards Keyleth in a final attempt to save her._

 

Pushing off the door, Vex sighed and moved further down the hall. As she passed Grog’s room, the smell of ale drifted from his room. What had happened…well, everyone has their own ways to grieve. This time, Vex planted her feet in front of Keyleth’s door and she hesitated. Shakily, she clutched the brass handle and opened the door. The room was filled with warmth from the sunlight, taunting Vex’s grief. There was an arrangement of various flowers, their once bright colors dull and some of the stems were limp or hardened by lack of hydration. Someone left these within the last week or so. Carefully, Vex picked up the bundle and studied them.

 

_Keyleth’s head jolted up at Vex’s cry and her eyes flashed open. Instead of the forest deep green eyes, their glow matched that of the energy surrounding her. Her head flew back and her mouth was open in a silent scream. Her tears ran down her face and drifted into her flowing hair. Pain marred her beautiful face. Vex pushed harder and leaped up towards her comrade, ready to pry her from the vines. As Vex laid a hand on a vine, there was a pulse of energy and another burst of light that knocked Vex from the sky and prone to the ground. A massive boom, louder than one of Percival’s gun, echoed across the field. Dazed, Vex managed to pull herself to her knees, her hands digging into the rough and dry ground for support. The hand that contacted the vine burned cruelly and Vex clutched it to her chest tightly. Vex glanced up. The light completely enveloped Keyleth and the tree. For a moment, time stood still and the light receded into the sky. Vax reached the tree first, his black wings beating viciously as he found purchase on the ground. His dark head whipped, searching for Keyleth. The Princess was nowhere to be found. The vines that once held Keyleth curled back up into the tree. But there was still no sign of Keyleth._

 

There was a warm liquid dripping down Vex’s hands. Startled, she realized that one of the flowers that she clutched to her chest had thorns that cut into her palm. Drop sized stains dampened her pants as she realized she was crying. Heat surged to her cheeks in anger. How could Vax leave her alone? Why didn’t Keyleth tell them that was the tree she saw? The tree from her damn Aramente with the Earth Ashari? They would have planned everything around that. A sob erupted from her chest and Vex quickly clasped her hand to her mouth, stifling it as she curled into herself. 

"Lady Vex!"

Vex’s head snapped up as she quickly rose from the bed, her mourning momentarily set to the side as she examined Lady Cassandra. Her traditional kept hair fell into her face as she heaved to catch her breath, eyes wide in fear. Cassandra’s knuckles white as she gripped the frame of the door.  
“Vex please…it’s my brother.”  
Another word wasn’t needed. Vex bolted from the room, the blood stained flowers hitting the ground, scattering petals.

 

_It was Syldor who helped them return home. He may have made a comment about their foolish mission but after examining their expressions, he simply helped. No one spoke, shock numbing them from the loss of their companion. When they returned to Whitestone, it was Zahra and Kashaw that greeted them first. After a quick glance, Kash narrowed his eyes in speculation, his body tense._  
_“What happened? Did you succeed?”_  
_Vax approached the cleric, a hand reaching for his shoulder. Kashaw quickly evaded the hand and stepped back, his mismatched eyes storming as he searched the rest of the party. Guarded, his eyes bore into Vax’s.  
_“Where’s Keyleth?”_  
Vax broke the eye contact and examined the hard earth beneath him, his voice cracking with raw emotion. It had been the first time in their travels home that he actually spoke to anyone that wasn’t his Goddess.  
“She’s gone…Keyleth didn’t make it.”  
Not even Vax’s rouge abilities could prepare himself for the fist that impacted his jaw, whipping his head back. Zahra quickly lunged toward her companion and wrapped him in a tight embrace, planting her feet in the ground and pulling the human into her solid chest.  
“What do you mean she’s gone?! You’re supposed to protect each other! You were supposed to look out for her!”_  
_Kashaw flailed against Zahra’s hold, trying to lunge at Vax. Zahra just whispered his name and held him tighter._

 

Percy’s trademark gun smoke scent scattered through the hall but there was something sour about the familiar scent. The chemical smell infused with black powder nearly burned Vex’ nose as she rushed down the hall. Just before she reached the door to Percy’s workshop, a vial was sent swirling into the stone wall in front of it, glass and a hissing green substance burst and spread across the stone. A furious roar, brimming with sorrow and rage erupted from the room and then a loud crack of wood. Vex briefly wished she had thought to have grabbed her bow as she cautiously peered around the metallic frame of door to survey the situation. Percy’s once organized workshop practically laid in ruins. Tables lay splintered on their backs. Numerous vials laid scattered on the ground, peppering the floor with the questionable contents. Bad News was scattered in multiple pieces, barrels bent. The noble in question stood in the center of all the destruction. Orthax’s dark smoke was swirling around Percy, beckoning to him. His breathing was labored and his knuckles were white as he wielded a pair of metal tongs like a weapon. Percy’s traditional white well-kept hair was tainted by soot and disheveled.  
“Percival?”

His bright and intelligent eyes were clouded in anguish and rimmed red. Tears streaked down his face, clearing the soot and dirt in its path.  
“Vex…”  
A loud clang rang in the room as Percy dropped the tongs and sank to his knees in defeat. Vex rushed to his side, dropping to her knees and pulling Percy into a tight hug. Vex’s bloodied had wrapped to the back of his head, mixing the blood and soot as she tucked him under her chin. The other rubbed his back, as his shoulders shook in repressed sobs. Eventually, he reached up and held onto Vex as though she was his only life line. The black smoke caressed the pair as the sought solace in one another.


End file.
